Well, that didn’t take long.
In a blog post that went up earlier today, Facebook announced that they were adding several new privacy features, many of which are eerily reminiscent of Google Plus.
Their goal is to make who you share your content with more straightforward, thus saving you the embarrassment of having to explain why you’re wearing a [BLANK] while [BLANKing].
(LIST: 10 Things You Shouldn’t Do On Facebook)
Here’s an excerpt:
“You have told us that ‘who can see this?’ could be clearer across Facebook, so we have made changes to make this more visual and straightforward. The main change is moving most of your controls from a settings page to being inline, right next to the posts, photos and tags they affect. Plus there are several other updates here that will make it easier to understand who can see your stuff (or your friends’) in any context. Here’s what’s coming up, organized around two areas: what shows up on your profile, and what happens when you share something new.”
Sound familiar? The sincerest form of flattery, perhaps?
Anyway, a quick rundown of some of the new Googley privacy features:
Inline Profile Controls
Previously, in order to change your privacy settings you had to go through the actual settings tab. Now — in a clear nod to G+’s Circles feature — you’ll be able to control each individual piece of content with a drop down menu. Want to share a photo album from Friday night with a few choice friends? You’ll be able to control who can see it in, oh, two, three clicks? You’ll still be able to make things public if you’d like, but now you have the added benefit of being selective.
Content Tag Review
Before, anyone who could view your photos (or posts) could add tags to them. Now? The posts will be left in “pending” for you to review, meaning you’ll never have to second guess your sorority squat/duck face ever again.
View Profile As
This is pretty major. Worried that creepy ol’ Chris Gayomali from high school is lurking your profile, weeping softly into his keyboard at what could have been? Simply click on the “View Profile As” button in the upper right corner to see what your profile would look like to Chris Gayomali and block whatever content you choose. Maybe then he’ll stop “liking” every little thing you post. Maybe.
Adjust Privacy Settings After a Post is Published
Exactly what it sounds like. Google+ has been letting people edit their posts and who sees what after the fact since its inception. It’s a welcome feature, and any time Facebook gets more forgiving is A-OK with me.
Head over to the Facebook blog to read more. And, as whenever Facebook unveils new features, expect considerate and thoughtful analysis from users after they’re given adequate time to digest the changes. Just, you know, the complete opposite.
Chris Gayomali is a reporter at TIME. Find him on Twitter at @chrigz, on Facebook, or on Google+. You can also continue the discussion on TIME’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.